March 8, 2004

THE PRECIOUS ONE

"To you therefore who believe, He is precious" (1 Peter 2:7, RSV).

This exquisite title of Jesus is reserved for the exclusive circle of those who believe. "To you who believe, He is precious." In the eyes of the believer, Jesus is altogether precious. The preciousness of our Saviour cannot be fully appreciated by those who are outside of the circle of the believer. The reason is quite simple: spiritual things "are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). Only those who have felt the power of Jesus' love, the magnetism of His grace, the joy of His forgiveness, and the pleasure of His companionship can truly appreciate how precious He is.

The word, precious, implies exceptional distinction, that which is of inestimable value, that which is held in high esteem. Peter was so deeply enamored with Jesus that he repeatedly depicted Him as precious. He calls Jesus the precious stone (see 1 Peter 2:4); the precious One (see 1 Peter 2:7), and the precious cornerstone (see 1 Peter 2:6). To Peter, Jesus' blood is precious (see 1 Peter 1:19); the faith Jesus gives is precious (see 2 Peter 1:1); and His promises are also precious (see 2 Peter 1:4). Jesus is precious because of His unique role in the plan of redemption. To the believer, He is the precious Redeemer, the precious Lord, the precious friend, and the precious companion. To know Him is to love Him.

Ponder these words of inspiration: "Jesus, precious Saviour! Assurance, helpfulness, security, and peace are all in Him. He is the dispeller of all our doubts, the earnest of all our hopes. How precious is the thought that we may indeed become partakers of the divine nature, whereby we may overcome as Christ overcame! Jesus is the fullness of our expectation."--Reflecting Christ, p. 21.

My Prayer Today: Lord, I am bereft of words to tell You how precious You are to me. Amen.